Mom brought to tears recalling close bond

The mother of missing social media influencer, Sophia Lugg, yesterday ended her testimony in tears after revealing that she and her daughter, who shared a sister-like bond, affectionately called each other “my love”.

The distraught mother, who is to face cross-examination from the defence today, choked up and paused during her testimony when asked to recall the pet names she and her daughter used for each another.

After stepping down from the witness box, Lugg was seen wailing in the court halls and later crying in the parking lot.

Reflecting on her daughter’s disappearance, Lugg testified that the last two years and 10 months – since Donaldson went missing – have been the longest they have ever been apart.

Donaldson, 24, a popular influencer, swimwear entrepreneur, and customer service representative, was reported missing on July 13.

She was last seen two days earlier at the apartment of her boyfriend, Constable Noel Maitland, who is being tried in the Home Circuit Court on charges of murder and preventing the lawful burial of a corpse.

URGED TO MAKE REPORT

Earlier in the court session, Lugg recalled that it was Maitland who urged her to report Donaldson missing when she became concerned about her disappearance.

“Mum, you need to go to the police station because this is unlike Donna,” Lugg recalled Maitland saying.

She testified earlier that Maitland had picked up Donaldson from her home on July 11 and that she last spoke to her daughter on the morning of July 12, after which all attempts to reach her failed.

Continuing her testimony from the previous day in the court, Lugg said Maitland insisted that she report the matter, and asked her what station she would be visiting.

She said Maitland persistently questioned her about which police station she intended to file the report.

According to her, his urging came after he called and told her that he spoke with the camera guy at his apartment and was informed that several vehicles were seen exiting and entering the compound, but that the faces of the drivers could not be seen on the security camera as the car glasses were wound up.

“I told him that was stupidity,” she recalled. “I told him that it doesn’t make sense, because the cars must have stopped at the security point when leaving and entering, and they should look in the car.”

She said Maitland ended the call, promising to call back shortly, but did so 45 minutes later.

“By then, he started insisting, and encouraging me, that I report the matter,” she said, noting that he called her 30 minutes later, asking which police station she was going to report the matter.

The witness said she eventually went to the Half-Way Tree Police Station in St Andrew with her son and that, while there, Maitland called, asking her which station she had decided on, and she told him where she was.

Lugg said Maitland and a policewoman, Kathy Ann Smith, showed up at the station within five minutes. While she waited, Maitland was observed speaking with her son for a short while.

While she was giving her statement, Maitland briefly entered the room and said he had to leave due to an emergency. He provided his contact information to the officer and asked that he be contacted when it was his time to give a statement, the witness recollected.

According to Lugg, Maitland was moving fast and was also observed texting on his phone incessantly.

When asked how she was feeling at the time, Lugg said simply, “I was devastated.”

Lugg also recounted that during her time at the station, Maitland told a female inspector he didn’t know who Donaldson had left with. The officer challenged him, reportedly responding, “Come better than that. Yuh know better than that.”

The mother further testified that Maitland visited Donaldson twice a week, sometimes driving a police vehicle or even a prisoner transport truck. She said her daughter usually spent only one night at his apartment before being brought home the next morning.

Lugg described Donaldson as a homebody who worked remotely, did house chores, and walked her dog in the evenings. The two remained in constant communication whenever Donaldson was not home.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com